Social media star turned singer Shawn Mendes' sophomore album debuted at the top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 chart on Monday, ousting Canadian R&'038;B star Drake and holding off new entries from country singer Luke Bryan and veteran rocker Bruce Spr.....»»

Already with victories versus the league-leaders and the defending champions, Alab Pilipinas are casting their line for another big fish in the 2016 Asean Basketball League.
Ray Parks Jr. and company are in Hong Kong for their first meeting with the Eastern Long Lions scheduled on Sunday.
The Philippines pits its three-game winning streak against a Hong Kong side determined to get back on track at 8:00 PM. All of the action will be broadcast LIVE on ABS-CBN S+A Channel 23 as well as streamed LIVE on sports.abs-cbn.com/livestream/abl.
Since the arrival of American reinforcements Sampson Carter and James Hughes, the Filipinos have yet to taste defeat. Ringing off win after win after win, they have improved their record to 5-2 and their standing to a share of second.
Holding the same card is Hong Kong which wants nothing more than to separate itself once more from its fellow league newcomer. Stinging off another loss at the hands of Singapore, they are banking on homecourt advantage to help them avoid a losing slide.
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Follow this writer on Twitter, @riegogogo. .....»»

JOHN PYE, AP Sports Writer
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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Serena Williams is still on track in her bid to win a record 23rd Grand Slam title.
The six-time Australian Open winner beat fellow American Nicole Gibbs 6-1, 6-3 in the third round on Saturday, when she didn't face a break point until she was serving for the match.
Dropping serve in that game was her only lapse in a match that then extended just beyond the hour — to 63 minutes to be precise. That made it one minute and one game longer than her only other match against Gibbs.
Williams started the tournament with difficult assignments in the first two rounds, but also got through those — against Belinda Bencic, with a career-high ranking of 7, and Lucie Safarova, a French Open finalist in 2015 — without dropping a set.
She has set the tone for the tournament. Williams will next play No. 16 Barbora Strycova, who beat No. 21 Caroline Garcia 6-2, 7-5.
Ekaterina Makarova led by a set and 4-0 but needed three sets and almost three hours to finally beat WTA Finals champion Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3.
'An amazing fight,' Makarova said of her first win over sixth-seeded Cibulkova, the 2014 finalist at Melbourne Park. 'I got, to be honest, a bit tight at 4-0 in the second set. But I'm still here. I love this Grand Slam.'
In a momentum-swing match featuring some long streaks of games and 11 service breaks, Makarova got the decisive break in the eighth game of the deciding set and closed it next.
Makarova will play either 2016 semifinalist Johanna Konta, who beat her in the fourth round here last year, or former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki.
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni continued her unlikely run with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Maria Sakkari, and so did American qualifier Jennifer Brady.
Before this week, the 34-year-old Lucic-Baroni hadn't won a match at Melbourne Park since her debut at the Australian Open in 1998. The 19-year gap in between match wins at a Grand Slam tournament broke the record set by Kimiko Date-Krumm, who went 17 years between match wins at Wimbledon.
Lucic-Baroni reached the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1999 as a 17-year-old and captured the Australian Open doubles title a year before that with Martina Hingis.
She next plays Brady, ranked No. 116, who had never played in the main draw of a major before she qualified for this week.
The 21-year-old American had a 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over 14th-seeded Elena Vesnina on Show Court 2, and is making the most of the occasion.
By saving five match points before rallying to beat Heather Watson in the second round, Brady effectively doubled her number of career wins.
On the men's side, No. 8 Dominic Thiem beat Benoit Paire 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to set up a fourth-round match against No. 11 David Goffin, who ended Ivo Karlovic's run 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
The 37-year-old Karlovic's win in the first round set an endurance record — the 84 games in the win over Horacio Zeballos, which ended 22-20 in the fifth, was an Open-era mark for the tournament. .....»»

em>By Tom Withers, Associated Press /em>
CLEVELAND (AP) — Kyrie Irving spent a day dedicated to transition and big speeches by delivering a message from the heart.
Cleveland's All-Star point guard, whose own life has undergone major changes over the past year or so because of fatherhood, an Olympic gold medal and NBA championship, spoke to hundreds of school kids on Friday (Saturday, PHL time) about following their dreams.
To kick off a program promoting physical fitness, Irving shared some wisdom and experiences he hopes will help motivate kids to reach their potential. He urged them to listen to their parents, follow their own path and reminded them that life's journey never ends.
'I'm still figuring it out,' he said. 'I'm still you.'
Teaming with Kids Foot Locker, Irving visited one of the city's Boys & Girls Clubs to launch a six-week fitness challenge which promotes a healthy lifestyle and encourages kids to excel outside and inside the classroom.
Not far removed from their age group, the 24-year-old Irving easily connected with the kids, who wore 'Go Big' T-shirts and could barely contain their excitement when the Cavaliers' star was introduced and walked to the middle of the basketball court.
'Listen to your parents,' Irving told them, but not in a preachy way, rather the way an older brother would tell his siblings. 'Make sure you cherish the friendships you have and family is first — always.'
Before the event, Irving, who was named an All-Star starter for the Eastern Conference on Thursday (Friday, PHL time), spent a few minutes with the Associated Press discussing the motivation to support his community and aspirations beyond basketball.
Irving understands both his place and platform and wants to maximize it. And as the nation looked toward Washington, D.C., Irving simply wanted to make a positive impact on some kinds in Cleveland.
'I want to be a generational leader and I am that already,' he told AP. 'I have to accept that and to do that you have to acquire as much knowledge and still grow every single day, make sure I'm living the truth and share that with the rest of the world. It's not necessarily opening up to the media or anyone else, but it's about opening up to the kids that matter — that are going to be changing our world in a few years.
'I'm OK with this, man. As long as I can shape a kid's day or shape a kid's life in any way possible, and help them realize their potential is endless, you are limitless. You can be your own decider in your life. Whatever else is going on, you have to take control of it.'
Irving was raised almost exclusively by his father, Drederick, after his mother, Elizabeth, died when he was four. The elder Irving didn't have to push his child, who was driven from an early age.
It's that independence, the strength to be unafraid and willingness to fail but learn, that's at the heart of Irving's message.
'I want them to think bigger,' he said. 'It's a lost simpler for me now as I've gotten older. There were things that I thought were going to stop me and limit me, but those things aren't necessarily real, they're false and created by whatever it is that tells us what we can't do, the outside influences. Never listen to that, man. I've always figured it out one day at a time.
'As long as you can see through it, and find your own truth, you'll be fine. I try to give kids the truth. I still am that kid that was growing up in Boys & Girls Clubs in New York and New Jersey, going to different neighborhoods. I'm that same kid. I've never changed and being able to acquire the knowledge that I have from other people helps me — and hopefully resonates with the kids.' .....»»

ROB HARRIS, AP Global Soccer Writer
A British man fell to his death this week at a World Cup stadium building site in Qatar, where construction conditions have come under sharp scrutiny since the country was awarded the 2022 soccer tournament.
The 40-year-old man has not been named by World Cup organizers or the company overseeing the building of the Khalifa International Stadium , which will also host the world track championships in 2019.
The contractor, a joint venture between Belgian and Qatari firms, said it was still working with local authorities to establish the cause of Thursday's death.
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'The fatal accident took place while the worker was on a suspended catwalk platform designed to manage technical functions relating to sound and light installations,' Midmac-Six Construct said in a statement Friday. 'For unknown reasons one of the lever hoists supporting the platform failed, causing the fall of the worker, who was wearing all his safety equipment, including the safety harness.
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'Sadly, the harness was cut during the fall with a fatal outcome. What caused the cut is subject to further investigation.'
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The stadium, which was first built on the site in 1976, is next to the Aspire sports academy and is described by organizers as 'Qatar's most historic stadium.'
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'All parties concerned will carefully review the circumstances of the accident and commit to take any necessary measures that can prevent its recurrence,' Midmac-Six Construct said.
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Qatar's World Cup organizing committee is also investigating the incident and said it 'shares our deepest condolences with the family for their loss.'
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Qatar has previously announced the death of four stadium workers, with one fatality the result of a work-related accident.
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The focus of the scrutiny has been on Qatar's use of a low-paid, migrant workforce to build the sites for the first World Cup in the Middle East, but the organizers are also relying on expertise from Europeans to oversee projects.
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FIFA, which awarded the World Cup to Qatar in a 2010 vote, said it 'deeply regrets the loss of life' at the stadium.
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'It is with great sadness that we send our sincere condolences to the victim's family and colleagues,' FIFA said in a statement. br />
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After a six-game, mid-conference meltdown almost totally destroyed their playoff hopes, the Meralco Bolts somehow found a way to keep themselves alive in the 2017 Philippine Cup.
They did so by upsetting the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Friday, a win that not only let them regain confindence and remain in the playoff race, but also affirmed that the team is on the right track in a slow, painful growing process.
'I think that's what we showed today, a great team effort. It's just great for the morale of the team to finally get a win, finally get that monkey off our back and know we're doing something right,' second-year forward Chris Newsome said following Meralco's 82-72 victory.
'We already got two wins more than our previous Philippine Cup so I think we're slowly improving,' he added, going back to the fact that the Bolts finished with an embarassing 1-10 record in the same tournament last season.
Meralco is still limping with a 3-7 mark this year and the team's playoff hopes almost entirely depends on other teams blowing away their own opportunities to advance but Newsome says that's the least of Meralco's concern right now.
The reigning Rookie of the Year emphasized growth on the side of the Bolts and just going for what the team can actually control.
And part of the things the team can control is their last regular season game against Star which if they win, should at least give them a better chance to sneak into the playoffs.
'It's a long season so we don't just wanna shut down and let everything that we've done go to waste,' Newsome said who finished with a game-high 19 points vs. ROS.
'The mindset is to control what we can control. The only thing that we're in control of right now is winning our last game against Star and everything else is kinda out of our hands. We just gotta hope for the best situation. We just gotta focus on what we can control and that's our effort in practice and attention to detail when it comes to games,' he added.
With Jimmy Alapag retired and Jared Dillinger just returning from a hamstring injury he suffered late last season, Meralco has mostly relied on its young core so far in the All-Filipino.
This latest victory, despite the string of defeats that came before it, was a nice boost for the squad that has kept things together pretty nicely this year.
'It's really big for us because the mood in the locker room is pretty heavy whenever you're losing, especially six straight games,' Newsome said.
'We try to stay positive and we really have nothing to lose and everything to gain, that's kinda the approach that we took today,' he added.
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Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8 .....»»

MAURICIO SAVARESE, AP Sports Writer
CHAPECO, Brazil (AP) — Silence and mourning are slowly being replaced by boisterous fans and hope.
As the Chapecoense club rebuilds after the air crash that killed 19 players and nearly all members of the staff and board of directors, so is the town of 200,000. Like many in Brazil, football is the oxygen for everything: gossip, community pride and heated debate.
On Saturday, Chapecoense's 20,000-capacity Arena Conda will host the team's first match since the tragedy almost two months ago. Lines outside are filled with fans excited about the club's and the city's restart. Fifty coffins lined the same field in November, where this time Chape's reconstructed team will play Brazilian champion Palmeiras in a friendly match.
'I bet I won't be able to sleep Friday night,' 19-year-old fan Marcelo Ribeiro said as he walked to the stadium. 'Since the accident the city is dead. The festivities were mostly canceled at the end of the year, and all most people are thinking about is the rebirth. I want to see what the rebirth looks like.'
At the Hotel Bertaso, where most of Chape's players and coaching staff have traditionally lodged, the first signs of that rebirth are obvious. The second floor, which was home to many of the victims, including coach Caio Junior, is once again full.
'I can't help feeling a lot of hope for the future now,' said receptionist Gelson Mangone, who lost several friends in that crash on an Andean mountain side near Medellin, Colombia, on Nov.28.
'It has been a lot of work to settle all these new signings here, they are also learning their way here,' the receptionist said. 'But it does feel like a brand new start.'
New coach Vagner Mancini is one of the hotel's new residents. He said the job makes him 'a better human being, but it's the most challenging to face.'
'We have to build a team, a coaching staff and a club infrastructure in a season in which Chape will be in demand,' Mancini told The Associated Press.
'I understand now that the city was so affected because the club and the city are run like a family,' he added. 'The players we brought are cut from that cloth, but we have to reach a higher level now.'
After the crash, Colombian club Atletico Nacional, which was to face Chape in the Copa Sudamericana final in Medellin, awarded the victory to the small Brazilian team.
That means that Chape qualified for South America's No. 1 tournament for the first time, the competitive Copa Libertadores. The team will also try to defend its title in the Santa Catarina state championship, try to stay up in Brazil's top-flight competition, and play in a pile of fundraisers, including one against Barcelona.
'We have to assemble a competitive team at the same time we need to hire someone to handle passports, contracts,' Mancini said. 'The club used to handle this well, but like a family run business. Now we are at a different moment.'
Chapecoense had almost nothing left after the crash: six players that did not travel on the ill-fated flight, two physiotherapists, one goalkeeping coach, one doctor, one data analyst, one nurse and a few club officials.
New chairman and club co-founder Plinio David de Nes Filho, a wealthy local businessman known as Maninho, is leading the charge to bolster club finances. Former players like Nivaldo Constante, who played as a goalkeeper until the tragedy struck, are approaching players that can help. And Chapeco Mayor Luciano Buligon is working as a kind of ambassador for the club and the city.
'Our weekends were about three things: family, church and Chapecoense,' Buligon said. 'It has been hard to get the city back on track because the wounds are still very open. But we are slowly moving on. On Saturday we will start getting a part of our weekends back.'
Not everyone is happy.
Rosangela Loureiro, widow of crash victim Cleber Santana, said she is upset because his belongings still have not been returned to the family.
'I feel sadness and rage. No one is doing anything to bring their belongings back. I plead with them to soften our pain and make us get the memories that we will hold dear for the rest of our lives,' she said on Instagram last week.
Other widows have complained about damages not yet being paid by the club. Chapecoense directors say they are doing the best they can as they try to rebuild.
There are even complaints at the joyous Hotel Bertaso.
'These new players love to make a mess in their rooms,' said a cleaner, who declined to offer her name. 'The other ones were older, more mature and the new ones seem to be more infantile. I hope they are up for the task. The city really needs that now.' .....»»

MAURICIO SAVARESE, Associated Press
CHAPECO, Brazil (AP) — Veteran forward Robinho has been called back into Brazil's national team for Wednesday's friendly against Colombia — a match that will raise funds for the families of the victims of the Chapecoense team air crash.
The former Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan player has not played for Brazil since the 2015 Copa America. The 32-year-old Robinho is now at Atletico Mineiro.
Brazil coach Tite chose a squad made up of locally based players for the fundraiser match. Nineteen Chapecoense players died in the accident that killed 71 of 77 passengers as the Brazilian team traveled to Medellin to play Colombian club Atletico Nacional in the Copa Sudamericana final.
Chapecoense fans expected former goalkeeper Nivaldo, who retired after the crash, and midfielder Nenem to be called to the national team by Tite as a tribute. Instead, the coach called fitness coach Paulo Paixao, father of Anderson, who was Chapecoense's fitness coach and also died in the tragedy.
'All these players coming for this game could have a future with Brazil, that was one of the criteria,' Tite said at Brazilian football confederation headquarters.
Only 5,000 tickets have been sold for the game, which will be played at the Engenhao Stadium — the venue for last year's Olympic track competition.
The Maracana Stadium was ruled out because of a clash between its administrators.
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Brazil squad:
Goalkeepers: Alex Muralha (Flamengo), Danilo Fernandes (Internacional), Weverton (Atletico Paranaense)
Defenders: Fagner (Corinthians), Marcos Rocha (Atletico Mineiro), Fabio Santos (Atletico Mineiro), Jorge (Flamengo), Rodrigo Caio (Sao Paulo), Pedro Geromel (Gremio), Vitor Hugo (Palmeiras), Luan (Vasco da Gama)
Midfielders: Camilo (Botafogo), Diego (Flamengo), Henrique (Cruzeiro), Rodriguinho (Corinthians), Walace (Gremio), Willian Arao (Flamengo), Lucas Lima (Santos), Gustavo Scarpa (Fluminense)
Forwards: Dudu (Palmeiras), Diego Souza (Sport Recife), Luan (Gremio), Robinho (Atletico Mineiro) .....»»

If Blackwater is truly serious about being a true PBA contender, then passing a crucial test Friday is going to be big for the Elite.
Fresh from winning their fifth game last week, their most in one conference and only two short of their entire total last season, the Elite battle Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel with a chance to go for a top 2 finish on the line.
With one playoff bonus still up for grabs, a win by Blackwater certainly gives the Ever Bilena franchise an inside track especially since eight teams basically remain in contention to join defending champion San Miguel Beer at the top.
Being one of those eight teams, the Gin Kings would like to further their own campaign by notching what would be their first winning streak for the season.
Through eight games so far, the reigning Governors' Cup champions have stumbled to an even 4-4 mark but the team is coming off a huge win over rival Meralco back in Iloilo City.
Gametime is set at 7:00 p.m. from the Cuneta Astrodome.
Also one of the eight teams in contention for a top 2 spot, Rain or Shine takes on a free-falling Meralco Bolts in the first game at 4:15 p.m., looking to bounce back from a sorry loss at the hands of the Beermen.
Armed with a 5-3 record, the Elasto Painters are out to make sure they maintain solo second place for at least a day while the Bolts simply want to arrest a six-game slide.
The Bolts are currently tied for last place with a woeful 2-7 card. .....»»

strong>Games Friday: /strong>
(The Arena, San Juan)
9:00 a.m. --- San Beda vs. Mapua (m)
10:30 a.m. --- San Beda vs. Mapua(w)
12:00 noon --- Perpetual vs JRU (w)
1:30 p.m. --- Perpetual vs JRU (m)
San Beda College hunts to secure a playoff for a semifinals berth Friday when the Lionesses take on the listless Mapua Lady Cardinals to close their elimination round campaign in the 92nd NCAA women’s volleyball competition at The Arena in San Juan.
Totting a 5-3 win-loss record at fourth to fifth spot tied with idle Lyceum of the Philippines University, San Beda puts its season on the line at the 10:30 a.m. clash with the Cardinals, who remain winless in eight games.
A win by the Lionesses will not only give the Mendiola-based squad a playoff for a semifinals slot in case of a tie at 6-3 card but will also put San Beda in a good position to advance in the next round with Perpetual Help and LPU facing tough opponents in their remaining assignments. If San Beda hurdles Mapua and the Lady Altas and Lady Pirates absorbing their fourth loss, the Lionesses will get the last semis spot.
In case the Lionesses lose, SBC will have to wish that LPU drops its last game against San Sebastian College and for Perpetual to at least lose one of its last two remaining games for tie at 5-4 that will also force sa playoff for the last semis seat.
Unbeaten SSC-R (7-1) and Season 90 champion Arellano University secured the first two Final Four berths while defending champion College of St. Benilde (6-2) is assured of at least a semis seat playoff.
San Beda is coming off a painful straight sets loss at the hands of the Lady Blazers, 25-12, 17-25, 23-25, 19-25, last week and is looking for a bounce back against the Lady Cardinals, who were swept by Emilio Aguinaldo College 18-25, 13-25, 24-26, last Friday.
Meanwhile, the Lady Altas fight for survival when they face upset-conscious Jose Rizal University at 12:00 noon.
With a 4-3 card, Perpetual can still make it to the Final Four if the Las Pinas-based squad completes a sweep of its last two games starting with the Lady Bombers. The Lady Altas will end the elims on January 25 against Arellano University.
Perpetual survived its first test last week with a sweep of LPU, 25-21, 29-27, 25-23.
JRU is out of contention with a 3-5 slate but is looking to play the spoiler’s role.
In men’s play, San Beda (6-2) attempts to formally advance in the semis to join CSB (7-1) in a clash against Mapua (5-3) at 9:00 a.m. while defending champion Perpetual (6-1) also seeks a Final Four berth in a faceoff with JRU (1-7) at 1:30 p.m.
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Follow this writer on Twitter, @fromtheriles
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STEVE DOUGLAS, AP Sports Writer
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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Henrik Stenson chipped in from 30 yards and had seven more birdies Thursday to open the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with an 8-under 64 in his first competitive round of 2017.
Showing no rustiness from an offseason of little practice, the fourth-ranked Stenson led by two strokes midway through the first round. Three-time winner Martin Kaymer, Oliver Fisher, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Marc Warren were next.
Stenson will do well to top 2016 — he won the British Open for his first major title and finished the season as Europe's No. 1 — and he prepared for the new year by mostly ditching his clubs, preferring to spend more time on the ski slopes with his family in Utah.
Even his build-up to the Abu Dhabi event wasn't ideal, with two overnight flights in three days from his home in Orlando interrupted by his attendance at an awards ceremony in Stockholm where he beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic, among others, to win Male Sports Athlete of the Year at the Swedish Sports Awards.
All Stenson needed was a few buckets of balls and some good putting sessions to get him back on track. Playing in an early-morning three-ball with two more current major champions in Dustin Johnson and Danny Willett, Stenson birdied four of his first five holes after starting at No. 10, completing the hot streak with the chip-in after leaving his approach five yards short of the green.
He curled in a birdie putt from 15 feet on No. 17 and tapped in at the par-5 18th to pick up another shot before making birdie on two of his last three holes to end a round in which he was never in trouble.
'Very limited preparation,' said the 40-year-old Stenson, before adding with a smile: 'So that might be the way forward.'
'I was quite amazed how good the game felt coming into today. But again, I feel like I scored better than I played.'
It was Stenson's second best round at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, only bettered by his course-record 62 in 2006 when he was runner-up to Chris DiMarco. It is a long course that suits Stenson's eye, and the same could be said of Kaymer.
The two-time major winner from Germany mixed eight birdies — three coming on his final three holes — with two bogeys for his 66, his latest low score at an event where he usually excels. He won in 2008, '10 and '11, and should have won in 2015, only to throw away a 10-shot lead with 13 holes to play on the final day.
'The golf course, for me, doesn't feel like I need to do a lot of special things in order to play well because I usually putt well on those greens,' Kaymer said. 'Doesn't feel like a hard-working day.'
Johnson, at No. 3 the highest-ranked player in a strong field after Rory McIlroy's withdrawal on Monday, shot 72 in his first appearance in Abu Dhabi. Defending champion Rickie Fowler also was at even par. .....»»

Jeron Teng's PBA D-League stint is off to a promising start.
Suiting up for AMA Online Education, the former two-time UAAP Finals MVP lived up to his billing as a top pick and powered the Titans to a 101-95 win over Batangas in the Aspirants' Cup Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena.
With Teng as the featured man on offense, AMA jumped on Batangas early but had to weather several second-half storms to open the new season on the winning track.
Down 14 at the break, Batangas was able to cut to deficit to three in the third quarter, 60-63, before Teng responded with six straight points to keep things in check, 69-61.
Batangas would make another run in the payoff period but AMA landed the knockout punch behind Teng as the former La Salle Green Archer dropped nine straiht in a commanding 16-2 run to turn a 73-70 lead to a comfortable 89-72 cushion.
Teng exploded for 42 points in his D-League debut, seven more than the biggest output he put up for his UAAP career. He also had seven rebounds and six assists. .....»»